BRITAIN’S biggest farmland owner has committed itself to Glastir, the Welsh Government’s new land management scheme.

Despite the diversity of landscape owned by the National Trust, the charity has secured an All Wales Element (AWE) contract to improve its habitats.

It began last month.

As Wales’s largest conservation charity, the Trust is also hoping to secure a higher level Targeted Element (TE) contract designed to combat climate change and improve water management.

Some Glastir AWE farms have already been invited to join the TE scheme but with several Trust farms due to see out their Tir Gofal contracts until late 2013, the charity doesn’t expect to enter the TE until the following year.

“This will take the diversity and environmental value of the land to another level,” said Trystan Edwards, the Trust’s farming advisor for Wales.

Although the organisation owns 60,000 acres in Wales, it could only submit land into Glastir which it directly manages – 5,750 acres. Tenants and commons rights holders are making their own submissions.

The largest chunk to enter Glastir is Hafod y Llan, on the slopes of Snowdon. Parkland at Chirk Castle and heathland on Pen Llyn have also been included.

To maximise the benefits under Glastir AWE, a variety of options have been selected.

“We’re also aiming for balanced mixed grazing with a view to a specific vegetation height, and not applying any additional inputs to fields. We’ve also committed to injecting slurry on fields rather than broadcasting it through the air.”

To meet European administrative rules, the Trust had to consider its Welsh farmland as a single unit, adding complexity to the process.

Trystan will now work with eight Trust land managers across Wales to implement Glastir.

Boxes for birds and bats will be erected at Erddig, near Wrexham, while rare and traditional livestock breeds will be safeguarded, such as White Park Cattle at Dinefwr and pedigree Welsh Pigs at Llanerchaeron.